Stillwater, Norman Mayors Co-Author Legislation to Bring Back Bedlam Football

Eric Morris made his stance on Bedlam clear at his introductory news conference, and now city officials in Stillwater and Norman are trying to do what they can to bring back the Bedlam game.

Norman mayor Stephen Tyler Holman announced at a city council meeting Tuesday that he and Stillwater mayor Will Joyce co-authored a piece of legislation that would make it state law for OSU and OU to play in football every year in a home-and-home series, citing economic development for both cities.

“It passed the body unanimously with no debate, so it will go to legislature for consideration, whether it actually happens or not,” Holman said. “But we felt in Norman’s case, we will be playing New Mexico and UTEP at home next year, so a nonconference game against OSU would be much more beneficial to the local Norman economy than playing New Mexico or UTEP. And same thing for Stillwater. It’d be much more beneficial for their local economy to have OU come visit every other season.”

Norman Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman and the Stillwater mayor co-authored legislation that, if it passes the state legislature, would ensure a yearly Bedlam football game.#Sooners pic.twitter.com/QWEk0GN8re

— OU Daily (@OUDaily) February 11, 2026

The Bedlam football game has been on ice since the Sooners left for the SEC following the 2023 season. There’s been back and forth among fanbases about whose fault the game’s demise was and whether or not it should resume.

One person who does seem to be in favor of getting the Sooners back on the schedule is OSU’s new coach.

“I’d love to get on the phone with anybody that we know that can help us bring that game back,” Morris said, “and if they’re asking if Coach Morris welcomes that game, I welcome it with open arms.”

A big road block in rescheduling Bedlam would be how far out nonconference football games are scheduled.

Over the next 10 seasons, OSU has games scheduled against Oregon (2026), Arkansas (2027, 2032 and 2033), Alabama (2028 and 2029) and Nebraska (2034 and 2035). The only years OSU doesn’t have a Power Conference foe scheduled over the next 10 years are 2030 and 2031, per FBS Schedules.

Meanwhile, OU has games scheduled against Michigan (2026), SMU (2027), Houston (2028), Nebraska (2029 and 2030) and Clemson (2035 and 2036). That means the first available year where neither team has a Power Conference foe scheduled in the nonconference is 2031.

All that is to say that even with this piece of legislation from the city mayors, there are still hoops to jump through before the game returns.